A/N: Bit of a shorter one but I figure two in one night isn't too bad. Might as well keep going while I'm inspired, right? But it's well past 2 am and I'm ready for bed. So goodnight peeps. Sorry for being such a shitty fanfic author.

Chapter 30

I could feel Freya's panic from where I stood ten feet away. I could feel evil rolling in waves off the creature, a darkness so complete it seemed like it would swallow us both up and never let us go. The growling hiss that escaped my throat was pure instinct. Freya drew her sword in a flash and darted left to find cover behind a fallen pillar.

Flames leapt into my mouth, burning the cuts and punctures I'd acquired earlier. I paid the pain no heed, instead unleashing a gout of white hot fire at the strange creature. It didn't seem to have any effect at all. The creature advanced towards me, hovering over the ground. It raised its twisted staff and a bolt of lightning shot towards me faster than I could think. The lightning struck me just above my left wing and the entire left side of my body abruptly went numb.

I crumbled to the ground, teeth bared as the odd creature continued its smooth advance. Before it could reach me, Freya darted in from the side, her sword dancing in the strange light cast by the portal. With the creature's attention occupied, I focused on helping my muscles remember how to properly function. In a body I was still relatively new to, this was no easy task.

It seemed like an era had passed, but I managed to pick myself up and edge towards the fight again. Freya was doing a good job, but she had been fighting for hours already and I knew she was exhausted. When I was close enough, Freya darted away and I set in upon the creature. I circled around it, putting myself between the creature and Freya, all the while keeping up a steady stream of fire.

I knew know the feeling of dread was caused by this creature. My fire had no effect, and Freya's blade could not touch it. The stream of fire sputtered to a halt as I ran out of air, and I was forced to resort to my other weapons; my teeth. The creature was faster than expected though, and each time my jaws snapped closed on empty air.

Just as I was running out of options for attack I felt three quick taps on my tail. Freya charged out from behind me where she'd been catching her breath. Before she could reach the creature, it sent flames of its own rushing towards me, Slow as I was on the ground, I couldn't get out of the way in time. My scales protected me from the brunt of the damage, but the heat was no less intense.

Freya dashed in, moving fluidly and seemingly calm. Her face was blank, the only evidence of her concentration being a small downturn of her lips. She was fast, but everywhere she struck, her blade was turned away by the creature's staff. She was tiring quickly. In an effort to distract the creature, I prepared myself to unleash another gout of flames.

Just as I was gathering the breath required, I saw her slip. It was the smallest gap, but the creature was paying close attention. Its staff came crashing up against her body in a vicious underhanded blow. Freya was sent sprawling against the stone. All this happened in the blink of an eye, and before I could gather enough breath or raise any kind of defense, the creature conjured a spear of ice and sent it flying.

I didn't feel any pain at first, only a muted tugging sensation in my chest. All the breath left me at once, and I could hear distant screaming. The creature conjured another ice spear, and I desperately tried to fill my lungs with air. But no air would come. Another dull tugging just in front of my left leg. Freya was screaming, but it sounded far away.

She was standing now, her face the perfect picture of beautiful rage. Sword in one hand, flames in the other, she marched towards the creature. Everything moved slowly now, as if time was giving me a chance to see everything happen in clear, precise detail. Still distracted by its wounded enemy, the creature was late in realizing his other foe approaching.

Red-orange flames shot from Freya's hand and enveloped the creature, spreading to engulf it entirely. Freya brought her sword up, slicing the creature from hip to sternum. Still it tried to fight, raising its staff to strike out and attempt to stop the barrage of flames still flying from Freya's hand. I saw her lips move, felt the power in her voice as three words knocked the creature clear across the platform. It came skidding to a halt on the smooth stone and lay in a flaming heap, unmoving.

Time returned to normal then, and the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth. Pain erupted in my chest and side, knocking what was left of the breath from my lungs. I felt my leg give out and collapsed into an undignified pile of scales. Breathing was exceedingly difficult, and I could feel air bubbling in the blood that poured from my chest.

Freya had collapsed after defeating the creature, her exertion having caught up with her. I hadn't recognized the words she'd used, but the Shout had been very effective. An icy cold spread from my wounds, bringing with it a sense of calm that seemed almost odd. Mara had warned me, had said I would die helping Freya complete her quest. As the cold crept to cover my entire body, I couldn't help but hope that this wasn't truly the end.

O.o.O

The Shout had come from somewhere deep inside. My dragon soul raged and broke loose at the sight of Silas impaled by the spear of ice. It was frightening and exhilarating all at once. In the aftermath, I'd fallen unconscious. I woke with a gut full of dread and a head full of worry. I sat up, head ringing and with my tongue feeling oddly swollen.

Silas lay not far from where I had fallen, wings stretched wide over the ground and eyes closed. My heart was in my throat as I scrambled to my feet and sprinted to his side. His breath came in shallow rasps, and each time he inhaled the bloody wound on his chest bubbled. The dread in my gut spread. Swallowing around the lump in my throat, I called his name softly.

"Silas?"

He didn't move. I couldn't have stopped the tears even if I'd wanted to. They fell in hot rivers down my cheeks, splashing on the stone beneath me. I knelt beside his head, hand outstretched. I couldn't bring myself to touch him. I stared, numb and unmoving, waiting for something-anything-to happen. After a moment, I called his name again.

"Silas, wake up."

What felt like an eternity later, one forest green eye opened and fixed itself on my face. Fresh tears welled up, and a sob wrenched itself forcefully from my body. Silas blinked, a movement so slow I wondered if his eye would open again. But it did, and he drew a pained breath. "Silas, I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

There was a wet gurgling that I thought was a laugh. "This is not your fault, Freya," he said, drawing another bloody breath. "You have to go."

Go? I thought. How can I leave you? After we've come so far, after all we've been through, how do you expect me to be able to just walk away and leave you?

"Your fate is unfinished," he rasped. I wanted to tell him not to speak, that he needed to save his breath, but I couldn't get the words out. All I could do was watch him fight to breathe, and cry. "This has always been my fate. My destiny. I don't regret this, Freya. And I don't blame you."

He closed his eye, and for a moment I thought he'd died. The slow rasping of his breath was my only assurance. He may not have blamed me, but if I hadn't asked him to come with me, this would never have happened. None of it. He wouldn't have been turned into a dragon, and he wouldn't have been killed by a dragon priest while helping me. How could he not blame me?

In the quiet that fell between us, broken only by the sound of his labored breathing, I said the only thing I could think of. It leapt to my lips unbidden and was out before I could even think of their meaning.

"I love you, Silas."

There was one last breath, a deep, slow sigh, and then he was gone.